Refuse loading and compacting truck



April 2, 1957 A.,w. NELSON REF USE LOADING AND COMPACTING TRUCK Filed 001;. 18, 1954 INVENTOR. ARTHUR w. NELSON REFUSE LOADING AND COMPACTING TRUCK Arthur W. Nelson, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,939

4 Claims. (Cl. 214-503) This invention relates to improvements in loading and compacting means for refuse trucks.

In the loading of refuse trucks utilizing conventional automatic lifting mechanisms, wherein the refuse is carried from a tailgate hopper chamber into the truck body, the stored refuse must be properly compacted and forced away from the hopper if an adequate load is to be effected.

In the art, there are disclosed mechanisms which incorporate refuse compacting devices. eral the compaction is achieved by complicated packing mechanisms confined to locations above or in alignment with the hopper opening. Dueto the restricted location of these mechanisms, the resulting compacting mechanisms are complicated and must be properly synchronized with the flow of refuse from the hopper into the truck interior. Moreover, since the hopper opening is generally above the truck bottom, refuse lodged in the lower rearward portion of the truck is bypassed by the compacting action. Furthermore stoppage of the compacting mechanism results incomplete or partial blockage of the flow of refuse into the truck interior rendering the truck inoperative.

It is imperative for efficient packing action to synchronize the compacting mechanism with the rate of refuse flow into the truck interior. The utilization of manually operated devices to cause this synchronization is obviously inefficient.

It is therefore the primary inventive object to provide a loading and compacting mechanism for a refuse truck which periodically consolidates all of the stored refuse towards the truck front without blocking the access from the hopper to the truck interior and wherein the compacting means is automatically synchronized with the rate of refuse flow.

Another inventive object involves the provision of a refuse compacting mechanism automatically actuated by and in synchronization with the loading mechanism, and wherein all of the refuse is compacted without blocking the access opening from the tailgate hopper to the truck interior.

A further inventive object involves the provision of a refuse compacting mechanism automatically actuated by and in synchronization with a motor powered refuse loader, wherein the compacting mechanism is located always between the refuse and the truck rear thereby subjecting all of the refuse to forward compactingaction, without blocking the flow of refuse from the hopper to the truck interior. v

A further inventive object involves the provision of a refuse compacting mechanism which is actuated by and synchronized with the refuse loading means, and wherein the compacting means moves parallel to the hopper wall involving the entire truckcross-section without blocking the flow of refuse into the truck from the hopper.

' Further objects and novel-details will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

However in gented States Patent Figure l is a partial vertical section through the rear of a refuse truck showing the compacting and loading mechanisms; and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the loading mechanism located in the tailgate hopper.

Referring now to Figure l, the improved loading and compacting refuse truck 10 comprises an inclined tailgate hopper assembly 11 pivotally secured With the hinge 12 to the top wall 29 of the tiuck rear end.

The hopper assembly is further supported in the closed position by a peripheral transverse edge 13. The lower portion of edge 13 being the end surface of an inclinedbottom wall 43 transverse to the edge 13 and extending integrally from the horizontal body base 14. the tailgate assembly is in the normally closed position, the axis of the hopper assembly is inclined due to the rearward projection of the wall 13a beyond the top wall 11. The inclination is sufficient to support the refuse in its upward movement without unduly elongating the truck body. The hopper assembly 11 is separated from the truck chamber 15 by the hopper wall 16, which is supported by the inclined edge 13. Between the top wall 11 and the bottom wall 13 a chuted aperture 17 is formed through the wall 16 for the passage therethrough of refuse from the hopper.

A plurality of parallel shafts 18 are rotatably mounted I transversely in the parallel hopper side walls 19 and 20 (Figure 2). Each of the shafts are equipped with a pair of spaced parallel sprockets 21 and a pair of endless chains 22 are fitted about the pairs of aligned sprockets thereby interconnecting the movements of the shafts.

' One of the shafts is actuated by a conventional motor drive (not shown) whereby linear translatory motion is imparted to the chains in a direction parallel to the longitudinal hopper axis.

A series of parallely spaced lifters 23 are secured at their respective ends to the chains in transverse relationship to the chain movements. The said lifters move parallel and slightly spaced from the wall 16 whereby refuse deposited in the filling compartment 24 is carried up the wall 16 and pushed through the aperture 17.

All of the foregoing structure is conventional and should not be interpreted as restricting the inventive scope of the combining novel loading and compacting mechanisms to be disclosed.

Referring again to Figure l, the compacting mechanism is seen to comprise a flat rectangular packing plate 25 of slightly smaller girth than a cross-section through the bottom wall 43, providing thereby sufficient operating clearance for reciprocatory plate movement parallel to 13a. The plate 25 is mounted on spaced piston heads 26 which are secured to pistons 27 slidably and snugly projecting through the wall 16. The pistons 27 are reciprocably mounted in hydraulic cylinders 28 which are secured on the hopper assembly 10 to the side walls 19 and 20.

The pistons 27 are actuated within the cylinders 28 by the usual piston diaphragm and pressure differential arrangement (not shown) with fluid under pressure being supplied to either side of the diaphragm by the ducts 30 and31 which are connected to the conventional fluidthe hole 17 in the hopper wall 16. Thelower edge33 of hole 32 is-sufticientlyspaced to permit unobstructed movement with respect to chute 34, consequently the Patented Apr. 2, 1957 Thus when.

compacting movement of plate 25 is accomplished without impeding the flow of refuse through the aperture 17.

Synchronization of the movements of plate 25 and the rate of refuse flow is effected by the piston valve"35 which is reciprocably mounted in the housing 36 secured to the hopper wall 19. Ducts 37' and .38 intercommunicate between the housing 36 and both the fluid pressure source (not shown) and the cylinder duets 30 and 31. Normally the piston valve is positioned within the housing 36 causing the transmission of pressure differentials to the cylinder 28 which act to keep the pistons 27 retracted. However upon the completion of a predetermined period of chain movement, a cam button- 39 carried by the chain 22 contacts a roller 40 projecting from a piston rod 41 whereby the piston valve 35 is urged to a position corresponding to the operation of the packing plate 25. When .so positioned the valve v35 directs fluid flow through ducts 37, and 38, the fluid pressure source (not shown) and the ducts 30 and 31 to create pressure difierentials causing the inward compacting movement of the plate 25. Piston valve 35 is maintained in this latter position until the packing plate has completed the inward motion and then resumes the normal position corresponding .to packing plate retraction.

As is evident the specific valving means for directing fluid flow through the pressure source (not shown) and the ducts 30, 31, 37 and 38 has not been detailed inasmuch as there are numerous conventional systems avail able for such purposes. The particular fluid distribution system utilized does not affect nor restrict the novelty involved in the foregoing combination.

In operation, refuse is deposited in the filling compartment 24 through the opening 42 and the loading mechanism motor (not shown) is actuated. Lifting plates 23 push the refuse along the wall 16 and through the aperture 17.

Upon the completion of a predetermined period of chain movement corresponding to a specific quantity of loaded refuse, button 39 contacts roller 40 resulting in the transmission of fluid pressure differentials to the cylinders 28 which cause the inward projection of the pistons 27 and the packing plate 25. Since the perimeter of the plate 25 substantially parallels that of the crosssection through the wall 43, the entire refuse mass stored in chamber is involved in a uniform compacting motion. There are no bypassed pockets for the accumulation of refuse and the resulting load is a maximum. By providing a hole 32 larger than the chuted aperture 17 permitting the unobstructed reciprocation of the plate 25, the flow of refuse through 17 and chute 34 is actually assisted by the .inward movement of the plate 25. The compacting action is toward the front and bottom wall of the refuse tnlck.

Having completed its inward motion, button 39 passes out of contact with the rod 41 whereby the pressure differentials are reversed resulting in the plate assuming the normally retracted position.

Obviously the spacing and number of buttons 39 can be varied to produce any desired number of compactions per cubage of stored refuse, the arrangement depicted herein being merely for illustrative purposes.

Thus it is now apparent that the instant mechanism for loading and compacting refuse causes maximum compaction of all the refuse, eliminates bypassed pockets of refuse and automatically synchronizes the frequency of compactions with the quantity of newly loaded refuse. Moreover the flow of refuse from the hopper into the storage chamber is aided and not impeded by the compacting means whose construction is of minimum simplicity. No complicated mechanical linkages are involved which are subject to breakage and high main-' tenance costs and a minimum of storage space is occnpied by the compacting means whereby the payload is further increased.

I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be apparent, however, that this invention is not limited to this embodiment and that many changes, additions and modifications can be made in connection therewith without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

Having thus described the nature of the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A refuse truck comprising a refuse storage chamber and a tailgate hopper pivoted to the truck and having an inner wall forming a rear closure for the storage chamber, in combination with a compacting plate within the chamber parallel to the inner wall of substantially the same size as the cross-sectional area of the storage chamber adjacent the inner wall, the inner wall being apertured, and the plate having an aperture larger than the inner wall aperture in alignment therewith, including means carrying the said plate for causing reciprocation transverse to the inner wall, in further combination with a loading mechanism in the hopper and means responsive to the mechanism for causing the reciprocating function of the first said means, whereby the plate reciprocation frequency is automatically synchronized with the loading mechanism.

2. A refuse truck as in claim 1 wherein the first said means is mounted on the hopper and includes a piston reciprocally projecting through the inner wall.

3. A refuse truck as in claim 1 wherein the hopper is inclined slightly relative to the longitudinal chamber axis, and wherein the first said means includes hydraulically actuated pistons reciprocably projecting through the inner wall and mounted onthe hopper, the plate being secured to the pistons and the second said means comprises .a valve actuated by the loading mechanism to positions directing fluid pressure to act upon the pistons thereby causing the said reciprocatory function.

4. A refuse truck comprising a refuse storage chamber enclosed by .top, bottom, side and rear walls, said rear wall extending substantially transversely to the longitud'mal truck axis and including a refuse aperture spaced from the bottom wall, in combination with a compacting plate within the chamber parallel to the rear wall having substantially the same size as a transverse section through the chamber, said plate being mounted on means for reciprocating the plate transversely to the rear wall and including an aperture larger than the refuse aperture and in alignment therewith, in further combination with a loading mechanism carrying refuse into the aperture and means synchronizing the mechanism and the first said means whereby the first said means automaticallyactuates the plate in a predetermined sequence, said first means comprising a hydraulically actuated piston mounted for reciprocation through the rear wall and said second means comprising a valve actuated by the loading mechanism to positions causing piston reciprocation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,643,014 calcagno June 23, 1953 2,648,452 Gibson et al. Aug. 11, 1953 2,675,138 Reitz Apr. 13, 1954 2,692,062 Calamore Oct. 19, 1954 2,695,110 Feidert Nov. 23, 1954 2,726,776 Myers Dec. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 474,041 Italy Aug. 29, 1951 

